A shallow cove on the Maryland side of the Potomac River is drawing a different kind of crowd these days, and it is not history buffs or scuba divers.
It is day-trippers looking for a cheap weekend outing, and the small operators running pontoon boats and kayak shuttles are racing to keep up.
Widows Bay sits near Nanjemoy in Charles County, about an hour south of Washington, D.C.
Beneath the surface lie the remains of roughly 200 wooden steamships, most built for World War I and never sent overseas.
The government sold many off as scrap in the 1920s, and the hulls were burned down to the waterline.
What is left is a sprawling field of ribs and ribs of timber that kayakers now paddle through.
The draw for frugal travelers is simple: the sanctuary itself is free.
There is no gate, no ticket booth, no parking fee.
If you own a kayak or a canoe, you can launch and spend an afternoon weaving between wrecks for the cost of gas and a sandwich.
That is exactly what has changed the local math.
Rental outfits that once served a handful of hardcore paddlers are now booking out weekends, and prices have crept up with demand.
A guided kayak trip that ran $60 a person two years ago can now run $85 to $95 in peak season, according to listings from area outfitters.
Pontoon and skiff captains have jumped in too.
Several run two-hour history cruises for $40 to $55 a head, and some add a sunset slot that sells out first.
For a family of four, that is still cheaper than a day at a big theme park by a wide margin, which helps explain the spillover traffic.
There is a catch worth knowing before you plan a trip.
The site is a NOAA national marine sanctuary, and that status comes with rules.
Touching or climbing on the wrecks is prohibited, anchoring on them is banned, and removing anything, including a loose plank, is a federal offense.
Rangers do patrol, and fines are not cheap.
Getting there is also part of the cost story.
The access point is a small state-run launch with limited parking, and on summer weekends the lot fills before 9 a.m.
Cell service is spotty, the nearest gas station is a drive away, and there is no food on site.
Packing your own water and snacks is not just thrifty, it is close to mandatory.
For travelers trying to stretch a weekend budget, the appeal is the contrast.
You get a genuinely unusual landscape, a bit of American history, and a few hours on the water without a resort bill attached.
Just do not expect a boardwalk, a gift shop, or a guarantee that the weather cooperates.
My take: this is one of the better low-cost day trips within striking distance of a major metro, and the rising tour prices still beat most alternatives.
The catch is that popularity will keep pushing those prices up, so the bargain window is narrowing.
Final Thoughts
Go early in the season, bring your own gear if you can, and treat the wrecks with the respect the law requires.